The Day After: Widespread Angry Protests, Tactical Alerts, Some Vandalism, No Major Riots

Despite the worst fears of many that this morning America might wake up to a redux of a flaming Compton and Watts, so far there have been no widespread riots or looting, even if vandalism has broken out sporadically among the countrywide angry protests.

From AFP: “Americans angry at the acquittal of George Zimmerman in the death of black teen Trayvon Martin marched in US cities throughout Saturday night, with reports of sporadic acts of violence. Spontaneous marches of varying sizes erupted in cities including San Francisco, Chicago, Washington, Atlanta and Philadelphia.

Prominent rights activists like Jesse Jackson appealed for calm. “Avoid violence, it will lead to more tragedies. Find a way for self construction not deconstruction in this time of despair,” he wrote on Twitter. Martin’s parents have long called for non-violent demonstrations, quoting civil rights icon Martin Luther King and the Bible. Several hundred demonstrators marched peacefully amid a heavy police presence in downtown San Francisco soon after the verdict.

Many carried signs with slogans such as “The people say guilty.” Hours later angry protesters marching through Oakland — just across the bay from San Francisco — spray-painted cars and smashed windows, helicopter video footage posted by the Oakland Tribune showed. One vandalized vehicle was a police cruiser.”